The Morning After
by Never Leave
Summary: They have finally acted on their feelings.Would it be the start of something special or a big mistake? A GAbby fic.Warning:Contains a sex scene.
1. Chapter 1

_This is a companion story to And That Is Why I Love You but you don't need to read that to understand this.  


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Gibbs' House.

The sunlight streaming through the windows wakens him from the best nights sleep he has had in a long time and he reaches lazily across the bed for her. His hand encounters only mattress and he sits up rubbing his eyes and sleepily calling "Abs." He listens for a moment but cannot hear the shower running or any other indication of someone else in the house. Rising from the bed he hurriedly wraps a robe around him and looks out the window. "Ah hell." Her hearse is gone. He picks up his phone and calls her throwing it angrily on the bed when she doesn't answer. Then he starts to dress continuing to call as he does so but she still does not answer.

Abby's Apartment.

Watching his name on her caller id tears slide down her face. Oh god what have I done? She'd gone to him as a friend. Too tired to fight her demons, those faces alone and knowing he would always fight for her until she was strong enough to fight for herself. His simple admission had changed that. No, be honest with yourself Abs it was your response that changed things. You didn't have to tell him you heard. You didn't have to admit your feelings or take him coffee barely dressed. You could have just thanked him and walked away. Walked away from this dangerous thing as you have so many times in the past. What have I done....

Gibbs' House.

Standing at his front door with his car keys in his hand he pauses then turns around and walks back down the hall to his kitchen. He places the keys on a table then crosses the room to his coffeemaker needing the familiar ritual to calm his pounding heart. He is astonished to see a folded piece of paper where his cup normally is but realises it makes perfect sense. Wanting to leave him a note she'd know, as she knew him, this was a place it would be found quickly. Unfolding it he reads with trembling hands

_Gibbs, I know how you feel about apologies so I won't but you know last night can never happen again. We are who we are and it would never work. We have to move on. Abby.X  
_

"Damn you Abs" he curses as he drops the note to the floor and begins to prepare his coffee. What had he done....

Abby's Apartment.

Curled on her couch she tries to block the images of him from her mind. The gentleness of his touch. The feel of his lips on her skin. His voice whispering in her ear. The absolute rightness of their coupling. So much more than she had ever dared to dream.

No! You know it can never be. There were so many reasons against them it would be madness to start. The age difference. The fact he was looking for a new family. Sure she'd love kids but not for a few years and as for marriage....no way!! But there was simply no denying Jethro was a traditional type of guy. Then there was the team. There was no way if something happened between them they could keep working together. McGee was OK with her dating guys outside NCIS since they'd had that really good talk when she'd started dating Marty but the Gibbs....he would not take that well. DiNozzo would be resentful that someone else was getting the attention and affection he so badly craved from the Boss and Ziva....a pounding on the door interrupts her thought. She goes to open it and is not surprised to find him standing there.

"Abby?"  
"Gibbs."

Her heart breaks at the uncertainty in his tone and the pain in his eyes. She had not meant to hurt him but clearly she had. "I guess you'd better come in." So he follows her inside searching frantically in his heart for the words to convince her that their feelings for each other should not be denied. That what _they_ had done should happen again.


	2. Chapter 2

He sits on her couch as she begins to pace the room waving her hands as she talks and never quite meeting his eyes.

"Oh Gibbs I am _so_ sorry. I didn't mean it to happen, truly I didn't....that is not why I came around...it was the faces...but then you said...and I had to tell you how I feel...I know it can't happen again...."

"Why?" he interjects gently.

"You know Gibbs." He just stares at her knowing that she needs to get it all out before they can begin to talk about it more calmly.

"There's the age difference. We have nothing in common apart from work and what would the team say? One of us would have to quit and I love my job and I know you do too and...."

"Abs" suddenly he can't handle hearing any more of her doubts. She did make valid points but he had only ever felt this way about three women Shannon who had left him too soon, Jenny who had rejected him for her career and now Abby and he was not about to let anything come between them.

They stare at each other a moment but her need for him and his for her scares her and as he opens his mouth to speak she places a finger on his lips then continues to pace and protest.

"You know it would not work. We'd be foolish to even try. Our friendship means...."

"Abs! I meant what I said last night."

She stops pacing and looks at him her eyes filled with a bleak sadness. "Sometimes love isn't enough Jethro."

"Sometimes it is Abby but that is not what I meant."

"Huh?"

"I meant what I said about never going away. Last night was not just some fling for me. I'm too old for that and you mean far too much to me. Whatever it takes I'm not leaving you."

"Don't make this harder than it has to be Gibbs." His eyes pierce her as if seeing straight into her heart. "This all happened so fast. I need time to think."

"Take all the time you need. Just know I'll be waiting when you're ready." He crosses the room to her and pulls her to him locking his lips on hers in a breathtaking kiss. She enjoys the taste of him for a second before struggling free of his grip.

"Oh, Gibbs."

"Abby." He turns and leaves. As the door closes behind him she sighs then taking a deep breath picks up her phone and begins to dial.

NCIS. Monday afternoon.

"Probie what's going on?" DiNozzo asks grumpily as he enters the bull pen.

"What do you mean?"

"Just went down to the lab to say hi to Abs since things are so slow around here but she's gone."

"Gone?"

"Yeah. There's a temp replacement and she said she'd been called in on very short notice as the person she was filling in for had a family emergency."

"Oh. That's odd. I guess something came up over the weekend. She'll probably call in later to check in."

"Hmm. I still think it's a little strange. Did she say anything to you Boss?"

Gibbs just stares at him then replies testily "No but I'm sure McGee's right. Back to work DiNozzo."

"On it Boss."

A short time later.

"Is she with anyone Cynthia?"

"No but..."

Without waiting to hear the end of the sentence he barges into Jenny's office.

"And what can I do for you today Jethro?" she inquires with a tolerant smile.

"Why did Abby take leave?"

"She called me last night and said she had a family emergency and she had to take some time off. As she's got plenty of leave on the books I said it was O.K. Is there a problem?"

"No. No problem at all Madam Director." He storms out.

Well that was a little odd she thinks as she picks up another file. I haven't seen Jethro that angry since suddenly her eyes widen as she recalls exactly what had made him that angry that time. "Oh my God!' she murmurs stunned at where her musings have led her. Jethro and Abby? Abby and Jethro? That definitely could be a problem.


	3. Chapter 3

NCIS Squad Room. Later that afternoon.

"I guess that's that mystery solved."

"What's that probie?"

"Just got a text from Abby."

"What did she say?" Neither agent observes Gibbs glancing over at them.

"All O.K. now. Having a break. Back in two weeks."

"Well done McSherlock. You've solved the mystery of the vanishing Goth." Tony grins at him.

As they get back to work their Boss smiles. She obviously needed to take some time to think things through but at least now he knew when she'd be back.

Director's Office. That evening.

"What can I do for you Madam Director?"

"Tell me you are not involved with Abby."

He just stares at her a moment. "Involved?"

"Are you sleeping with her Jethro?"

"I do not see how if I were sleeping with Abby, and I am not saying that I am, that that information would be any business of yours Jen. You had your chance."

She glares at him. "This is not about you and me Jethro. It is about how this will affect the agency and that _is_ my business."

"There is no you and me Director. You chose your career remember? I want Abby and I hope she will decide she wants me and that is all I will say on the matter Madam Director." He storms out of her office.

"Damn you Jethro" she mutters.

Gibbs' House. Evening. A fortnight later.

After pulling into his driveway he sits a minute wondering for the millionth time that day if he should just drive straight over to her place and demand she tell him what she had decided. Then again he had told her he'd be waiting and as she was the one who had left it did seem right to wait until she came to him. He opens his front door and is not completely surprised to see her sitting on the top step of the stairs that lead from his hallway to the upper floor.

"Gibbs." She stands and walks part way down the stairs her eyes locked on his.

Her name sticks in his throat. "Abs."

"I've decided what to do." Almost unable to speak he just stares. "Yes...."

She walks down the stairs and winds her arms around him. He can feel the heat of her body through his shirt and can read her decision in her eyes. "Are you sure?"

She nods. "Yes. I want you. I want us. Whatever it takes and...." she grins at him a little wickedly.

"And...?"

"I can certainly _feel_ that you want me too."

His chuckle dies in his throat as she pulls his head down and kisses him fiercely, her hands gripping his hair as her tongue parts his lips. He sweeps her off her feet in a single strong movement and carries her up the stairs to his bedroom. He lays her down, and in seconds they are naked, kissing and fondling, their fingers and tongues searching, exploring, reacquainting themselves with now familiar regions. Skin against burning skin. His hand reaches the heart of her moistness and she climaxes at once, suddenly and quite unexpectedly, a bucking, thrusting, crying-out orgasm almost frightening in its intensity. As it peaks she clamps her thighs closed on his fingers and twists towards him, eyes shut, with a shout that is almost a scream. She lies still for a while, with her head resting on his shoulder.

Eventually she looks up at him. "Jethro. That was _so_ selfish of me. I don't know what happened but I've been imagining us together all fortnight." He nuzzles her hair, laughing. "Selfish, nothing. If that's what happens after you go away maybe you should more often." She chuckles with pleasure, a playful sound with a hint of promise. "Or I could just stay here."

As she speaks, she rolls over straddling him taking him deep inside her and in a single movement pulling her knees up and sitting on him bolt upright. She appears to barely move yet he can feel the grip of her muscles, tensing and relaxing as they massage him. He lies there looking up, touching her only with his eyes. Gazing from her eyes to her full lips to her breasts, devouring with his eyes every inch of her pale skin, tracing the outline of every tattoo. She starts to sway more vigorously, rocking backwards and forwards upon him, tensing, relaxing and tensing again. Waves of pleasure wash upwards and over him, starting with the soles of his feet and moving up through his ankles, his calves. He finds himself surrendering to the most powerful orgasm of his life, even though he expects that when the tide of pleasure breaks on his groin he will die of its intensity. He is totally helpless beneath her. Someone in the room is shouting out loud and dimly he becomes aware that it is him.

Then the cries become a duet, and he knows that she has climaxed also in the same moment. He sees her back arch and feels those muscles grasp tight and hold on as he pulses and pumps into her, on and on. They hold their frozen pose. neither breathing, each concentrating only on the other's pleasure, until eventually, with a last triumphant shout, Abby relaxes and slumps, shuddering onto his chest. A full five minutes elapses in silence, as if each were printing every detail, every moment of the experience indelibly upon their memory. Gibbs wraps his arms around her and kisses her on the forehead as she snuggles into his chest. Maybe they were ready for whatever might come next and maybe they weren't even close but right now she was in his arms and none of that mattered.


End file.
